Restaurants in Bilbao

This Michelin-starred restaurant is located on the top floor of the Euskalduna Palace, overlooking the most modern part of Bilbao. The dining area is voluptuously decorated, with the ceiling draped in billowy fabric. The dishes are rich, flavoursome and highly innovative creations that are respectful of the region's culinary traditions. The service is excellent.

Eating in a famous art museum is always going to be a bit of an experience and Restaurante Guggenheim is no exception. The food is described as "culinary art" and thus is more about creativity and imagination than quantity. That said, the food is delicious and interesting, and the prices are what you'd expect from a gastronomic experience.

Zortziko is a gastronomic institution in Bilbao. Located in a late 19th-century mansion not far from the Guggenheim Museum, it offers contemporary haute cuisine with local roots. There are three dining rooms, each with their own individual style. The menu is seasonal and the innovative Basque creations by acclaimed chef Daniel Garcia are sublime and among the very best in the region.

A traditional cider house and carvery, this is a typical Basque eating place offering grilled meat, fish and traditional cuisine. Situated at the heart of Bilbao's old quarter in a historical building, the ambience and the décor (stonework and large windows) make it the ideal spot for any type of celebration.

A grocery store/deli by day, by night a restaurant, Casa Rufo is famous for its txuleton, or rib-eye steak, ideal for those who are craving something hearty - although the menu also offers classic Basque dishes such as oxtail, baked cod or hake with red pepper. Choose a wine to accompany your meal from the excellent and extensive list. Booking in advance is recommended. 

On the blue tiled walls of El Perro Chico are pictures of dozens of celebrities who've visited, from Brad Pitt to Sofia Loren. Few, though, are as significant as architect Frank Gehry, who was a regular when he was working on The Guggenheim – he even used the same shade of blue to decorate the museum's offices. For all its star-quality, this is a traditional place with local favourites such as salt cod, artichokes and grilled aubergines.

In front of the Jardines de Albia, an elegant park in the centre of town, the Café Iruña has the air of being exactly the same today as it was when it opened in 1903. The azulejo (patterned tiles) on the walls, the wooden pillars, carved wooden ceiling and even the smart, waist-coated waiters all seem like institutions. Dining can be equally formal in the white table-clothed restaurant, or more casual at the pintxos bar. Specialities include foie gras with ham and cheese.

A great place to get excellent set menus with high-quality, imaginative choices. The La Taberna de Bolivar set menu will get you three courses, bread, water and wine, which is a great way to enjoy a slap-up meal at an affordable price.

Downstairs at Victor Montes there's a proper restaurant where they serve large helpings of roast meats and grilled fish, but the place is best known for the pintxos served upstairs in the bar. The chequered floors and white-jacketed waiters make the joint look like an old-fashioned barber shop, with the croissants stuffed with ham, leek and mayonnaise a cut above the rest.